PCOS: diagnosis, treatment and everyday life

Plain guides built on the 2023 international PCOS guideline: diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, fertility and looking after your health over the years.

4 min read How PCOS is diagnosed How symptoms, blood tests and scans fit together to diagnose PCOS, and why the checks are different for teenagers. No single test can diagnose PCOS.
4 min read Living with PCOS: food, movement and weight What the evidence says about food and activity with PCOS, and support that respects your body, choices and situation. Includes when to get help.
5 min read PCOS treatment options How hormone treatments, metformin and other options fit different PCOS goals, and the limits of the evidence on inositol.
5 min read PCOS, fertility and pregnancy Options if you have trouble ovulating, planning a pregnancy, and the extra checks recommended in pregnancy with PCOS. Includes when to get help.
4 min read PCOS: changes to periods, skin and hair Why PCOS can affect periods, acne and hair growth, which treatments may help, and when to ask to be checked. Includes when to get help, with UK and US notes.
4 min read PCOS: long-term health and emotional wellbeing The checks recommended for diabetes, heart health and the womb lining, plus support with sleep, mood and eating problems.
4 min read What PCOS is, and why its name has changed What PCOS means, its new name PMOS, common symptoms, and why care goes beyond periods and fertility. Having PCOS doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant.

Written by the Ruva team from the sources listed in each guide. They aren’t medical advice. If you’re worried about a symptom, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.